Dried blood spot collection device

ABSTRACT

Apparatuses and methods for dried blood spot (DBS) sample collection are disclosed. A dried blood spot sampling device is configured to deliver blood through a passage to an absorbent disk in the device and control an amount of blood saturating the absorbent disk. The sampling device may include a manually actuatable component adjustable between a first position, in which an outlet of the passage is not in physical contact with the absorbent disk, and a second position, in which the outlet of the passage is in physical contact with the absorbent disk.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a Continuation patent application whichclaims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No.14/825,757 filed Aug. 13, 2015 entitled “DRIED BLOOD SPOT COLLECTIONDEVICE” which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.62/037,068, filed Aug. 13, 2014, the disclosures of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

This invention was made with government support under Grant No.UL1TR000128 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The governmenthas certain rights in the technology.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of dried blood spot testing,and, more specifically, to single-use dried blood spot sampling devices.

BACKGROUND

Blood tests may be performed on blood samples for screening, diagnosing,and monitoring various medical conditions. Various approaches are usedto collect blood samples for blood tests. Venipuncture is a widely-usedblood collection procedure that generally relies on trained medicalpractitioners, specialized equipment, and sterilization protocols tocollect liquid blood samples for processing. Blood samples collected byvenipuncture usually are separated by centrifugation and stored underrefrigeration.

Another blood sample collection approach is dried blood spot (DBS)sampling. DBS is a form of biosampling in which blood samples areblotted and dried on a suitable absorbent material, e.g., filter paper.In some approaches, a lancet may be used to draw blood, e.g., via afingerstick, and the blood sample may be transferred to one or moredelineated circular regions, or spots, on filter paper. The spottedfilter paper with the blood samples may be air dried for several hoursto obtain a DBS specimen that may be shipped to an analytical laboratoryand analyzed using various methods such as DNA amplification orhigh-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In some approaches, ablood spot on DBS paper may be sampled by punching out a smallerdiameter hole in the paper from within the blood spot or tearing offsections of the blood spot. For example, a blood sample may betransferred to a delineated circular region having a diameter ofapproximately 10 mm on absorbent paper and, during processing, a 3-6 mmhole may be punched out of the 10 mm blood sample spot for analysis. Thepunched sample may then be placed in a tube and eluted with a buffer sothat the extracted sample can undergo various diagnostic tests.

Compared with liquid blood specimens, e.g., as collected viavenipuncture, DBS specimens may have a longer lifespan, have a reducedneed for refrigeration, pose less of a biohazard risk to handlers,utilize less blood, and be easier to transport or store. Potentialapplications of DBS sampling include screening, diagnosis, monitoring,and research of various medical conditions/populations including HIV,epilepsy, cancer, transplant patients, etc.

The inventors herein have recognized various issues with currentapproaches to DBS sampling. In current DBS sampling approaches,biological sample distribution across the collection material isdependent on sample application techniques and can result in unevenanalyte concentrations across the material. For example, some approachesrequire a patient to place a large drop of blood, e.g., about 30 μL, onDBS filter paper in order to attempt to saturate a large area of thefilter paper, e.g., a 10 mm spot. Saturating such a large area of thefilter paper may lead to a non-homogenous distribution of the blood overthe filter paper, which may lead to errors in sample analysis due toinaccurate sample volumes. Additionally, many DBS approaches require auser to physically touch the DBS paper in order to transfer the blood tothe paper. However, touching the DBS paper can produce non-uniform bloodsample spots, which may also reduce accuracy.

As described above, in some approaches, a sample disk may be punched outfrom a larger diameter blood spot or sections may be tom off from theblood spot for analysis. However, punching out a sample disk or tearingoff sections from a blood spot region of sample paper may lead toincreased variability and errors in sample analysis. For example,variable analytical results may occur when a sub-sample within a samplespot is removed manually with a hole-punch or when sections of the bloodspot are torn off.

Additionally, many DBS sampling approaches rely on patients and/orclinicians to perform multiple steps that may be cumbersome for use bypatients. For example, some approaches require a patient to use a glasscapillary tube to draw blood from a lanced finger and then to place thecapillary tube containing the blood sample into a holder to saturate aspot on filter paper. Such an approach may be difficult to implement andmay additionally lead to uneven blood distribution across the spot andunder-saturation or over-saturation of the DBS material. Further, suchapproaches may require the use of many separate components, such as alancet, filter papers, a holder for drying, and containers with a dryingagent for transport. These separate components can be cumbersome for useeven by a skilled technician, and may not suitable for use by a patientalone. Further, such approaches may require disposal of blood collectionmaterials as hazardous waste, e.g., used lancets, capillary tubes, etc.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to dried blood spot (DBS) collectiondevices and methods of using such devices. In one example approach, adried blood spot sampling device is configured to deliver blood througha passage to an absorbent disk in the device, e.g., a 3 mm or 6 mmfilter paper disk, and control an amount of blood saturating theabsorbent disk. Although examples of circular absorbent disks are oftendiscussed herein, an absorbent disk may have any suitable footprint. Thesampling device may additionally include a manually actuatable componentadjustable between a first position, where an outlet of the passage isnot in physical contact with the absorbent disk, and a second position,where the outlet of the passage is in physical contact with theabsorbent disk.

Some embodiments of the DBS collection device may additionally include alancet system incorporated into the device, thereby providing aself-contained, easy-to-use, and safe method for obtaining a DBS sample.For example, the device can potentially be used remotely and shippedusing regular mail to a clinical lab without the need for disposing ofor shipping biohazardous components.

For example, in some embodiments, the DBS device may additionallyinclude a single-use, adjustable-depth, retracting lancet incorporatedwithin the device for lancing a finger of a user. After the finger islanced, the user may place the lanced finger at an inlet of the passageso that blood is drawn into the passage. The user may then actuate themanually-actuatable component to put the outlet of the passage intophysical contact with the sample disk so that a precise amount of bloodis transferred from the passage to the sample disk to precisely saturatethe sample disk. After saturation of the sample disk, the user mayrelease the manually actuatable component so that the outlet is nolonger in physical contact with the sample disk. The DBS device may thenbe sealed and shipped, e.g., via mail, to a testing center, for example.

In such an approach, a precise volume of blood may be delivered via thepassage to a specifically-sized sample disk to precisely saturate thedisk, thereby providing a reproducible, accurate, and uniformdistribution of blood over the disk. In this approach, the sample diskmay be sized such that no additional manipulation of the disk, such astearing off or punching out portions of the disk, are needed to preparethe specimen for testing at a lab. In various embodiments, this maydecrease variability and error, and may reduce processing time at thelab. Additionally, such an approach may be less intrusive to the patientand may use a smaller volume of blood compare to previous approaches,such as venipuncture and approaches which attempt to saturate a largedot or substrate, as described above.

Compared to clinical blood collection approaches such as venipuncture,various ones of the approaches disclosed herein have the potential toreduce costs, e.g., phlebotomy costs, and decrease impact on the user.For example, since some embodiments of the devices disclosed herein maybe used remotely and then mailed to a clinic, such devices may providecost savings from travel, fewer points of contact, and decreasedbarriers to compliance.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the disclosed subject matter, nor is it intendedto be used to limit the scope of the disclosed subject matter.Furthermore, the disclosed subject matter is not limited toimplementations that address any or all disadvantages noted in any partof this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of a side view of an example of a driedblood spot collection device, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example of a dried blood spotcollection device, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of an example of a dried blood spotcollection device, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a schematic depiction of an example of a dried blood spotcollection device, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 5 is another schematic depiction of an example of a dried bloodspot collection device, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 6 is another schematic depiction of an example of a dried bloodspot collection device, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of a dried blood spotcollection device, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 8 illustrates a front perspective view of another example of adried blood spot collection device, in accordance with variousembodiments;

FIG. 9 is a back perspective view of the dried blood spot collectiondevice shown in FIG. 8, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 10 is a front view of the dried blood spot collection device shownin FIG. 8, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 11 is a back view of the dried blood spot collection device shownin FIG. 8, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 12 is a side view along a length of the dried blood spot collectiondevice shown in FIG. 8, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 13 is a side view along a width of the dried blood spot collectiondevice shown in FIG. 8, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 14 is a detail view of the manually actuatable component includedin the example device shown in FIG. 8, in accordance with variousembodiments;

FIG. 15 is another detail view of the manually actuatable componentincluded in the example device shown in FIG. 8, in accordance withvarious embodiments;

FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of another example of a dried bloodspot collection device, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 17 is a front view of the a dried blood spot collection deviceshown in FIG. 16, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 18 is another front perspective view of the a dried blood spotcollection device shown in FIG. 16, in accordance with variousembodiments;

FIG. 19 is a back view of the a dried blood spot collection device shownin FIG. 16, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 20 is a side view of the a dried blood spot collection device shownin FIG. 16, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 21 is a back view of the a dried blood spot collection device shownin FIG. 16 shown with internal components exposed, in accordance withvarious embodiments;

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of another example of a dried bloodspot collection device, in accordance with various embodiments; and

FIG. 23 illustrates another example of a dried blood spot collectiondevice, in accordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is directed to apparatuses andmethods for dried blood spot (DBS) sampling. In the following detaileddescription, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form apart hereof, and in which are shown, by way of illustration, embodimentsthat may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments maybe utilized and structural or logical changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the followingdetailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense. Variousoperations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, ina manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments; however, theorder of description should not be construed to imply that theseoperations are order-dependent.

FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of a side view of an example embodimentof a DBS collection device 100. DBS collection device 100 includes abody 102 that defines an inlet 104 of a passage 106 extending from anexterior 108 of the body 102 to an outlet 110 in an interior cavity 112of the body 102. In some embodiments, as shown in the illustrations ofFIGS. 1-21, passage 106 may include a capillary passage or capillarytube. However, it should be understood that any suitable passage ororifice may be used without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, passage 106 may include ascreened orifice. The body 102 may include any suitable material orcombination of materials, e.g., plastic, glass, stainless steel, etc.

In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 1, body 102 includes a top plate124 coupled to a bottom plate 126 which may define the interior cavity112. Both the top plate 124 and the bottom plate 126 may have similarand/or complementary shapes, e.g., the top and bottom plates may havesubstantially the same length, width, and thickness. However, in someexamples, e.g., as shown in FIG. 3 and described below, the top plate124 and the bottom plate 126 may have substantially the same length andwidth but may have different thicknesses. Further, in other examples,the top plate 124 and the bottom plate 126 may have different shapes,e.g., different lengths, widths, and/or thicknesses. The top and bottomplates 124 and 126 may be coupled together in any suitable way. Forexample, the top and bottom plates 124 and 126 may be affixed to eachother via a suitable adhesive and/or via one or more clamps, rivets,bolts, screws, clips, latches, pins, pegs, or other coupling components.In some examples, the top and bottom plates 124 and 126 may be moldedtogether after an installation of various internal components in the topand bottom plates 124 and 126. Example components which may be includedwithin body 102 are described below.

DBS collection device 100 includes a platform 114 coupled to the body102 within the interior cavity 112. Platform 114 is configured to holdan absorbent disk 116 in a fixed position on a circular region 118 ofthe platform 114. The absorbent disk 116 may include any suitable DBSmaterial, e.g., a filter paper disk, a porous polymer, etc. In someexamples, the absorbent disk 116 may be sized such that no additionalmanipulation of the absorbent disk, such as tearing off or punching outportions of the absorbent disk 116, are needed to prepare the specimenfor testing at a lab. For example, the absorbent disk 116 may include a3 mm filter paper disk or a 6 mm filter paper disk.

In example illustrated in FIG. 1, platform 114 is formed as a circularcut-out in a top surface 144 of bottom plate 126. The circular cut-outmay be sized to receive and hold an absorbent disk (e.g., the absorbentdisk 116) of a predetermined size, e.g., a 3 mm or 6 mm diameter.Platform 114 is positioned directly beneath capillary outlet 110 ofpassage 106 so that a central axis 120 of the passage 106 is normal to,i.e., is perpendicular to or forms a right angle with, the platform 114and intersects the center 122 of the circular region 118 of the platform114.

In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a funnel-shaped indentation128 is included in the top surface 136 of the top plate 124 of body 102.Indentation 128 is defined by inwardly sloping walls 132 which form afunnel shape to assist in positioning a fingertip above the capillaryinlet and to direct blood samples from a lanced finger placed into theindentation 128 into the capillary inlet 104. The depth 134 of walls 132of indentation 128 from top surface 136 decreases with increasingdistance from the capillary inlet 104, thereby forming a funnel in thetop plate 124 for directing a blood sample introduced at the indentation128 into the capillary inlet 104. At the indentation 128, the topsurface 136 is recessed and slopes inwardly toward the capillary inlet104. As shown in FIGS. 2, 16, 17, and 22, and described below, in someexamples, the indentation 128 may be substantially circular in shapewhen viewed from above so as to function as a funnel for fingerpositioning and directing a blood sample into the passage 106. Theindentation 128 may be sized to encompass and position a fingertip in apredetermined location. For example, a diameter 138 of the indentationat the top surface may be at least 1.5 cm. The diameter of theindentation 128 may decrease from the diameter 138 at the top surface136 to a diameter 140 of capillary inlet 104.

The passage 106 may have a predetermined length 142 along the centralaxis 120. The length 142 and diameter 140 of the passage 106 may bespecifically sized to hold a predetermined amount of blood for deliveryto the absorbent disk 116. For example, the length 142 and diameter 140of the passage 106 may be sized to hold a volume of blood substantiallyequal to a volume of blood that would sufficiently saturate theabsorbent disk 116. The amount of saturation that is “sufficient” maydepend on the test being run (e.g., with a mass spectrometer configuredto analyze the blood). In some embodiments, 7.4 microliters may be asufficient amount. In some examples, the passage 106 may be sized tohold a volume of blood greater by a predetermined amount (e.g., a fixedvolume or percentage) than the volume of blood which would sufficientlysaturate the absorbent disk 116. In some embodiments, the dimensions ofthe absorbent disk 116 may be selected to allow the absorbent disk 116to hold a predetermined volume of blood, and thereby utilize theabsorbent disk 116 as a metering device for the amount of blood storedtherein. In various embodiments, the nominal value of this predeterminedvolume may depend on the particular test to be performed on the blood,as noted above with reference to the passage 106.

In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the lower plate 126 definesan air vent channel 130 positioned directly below the absorbed disk 116.The air vent channel 130 may include an aperture extending through thebottom plate in a direction along the central axis 120. The air ventchannel 130 may share a central axis with passage 106, e.g., centralaxis 120 may be a central axis of both the passage 106 and the air ventchannel 130. When included, the air vent channel 130 may provideventilation to the interior cavity 112 to assist in drying a bloodsample delivered to the absorbent disk 116, and may provide a pathwayfor excess blood not absorbed by the absorbent disk 116.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example embodiment of a DBScollection device 100. Like-numbered elements shown in FIG. 2 correspondto like-numbered elements shown in FIG. 1 and described above. DBSdevice 100 shown in FIG. 2 includes a body 102 having a length 206, awidth 208, and a thickness 210. As shown in FIG. 2, the length 206 maybe substantially the same as the width 208 and both the length 206 andthe width 208 may be greater than the thickness 210, e.g., the thickness210 may be at least 4 times smaller than both the length 206 and width208. However, in other examples, the length 206 may be greater than thewidth 208 or the width 208 may be greater than the length 206.

In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the platform 114 includes anabsorbent or porous material mounted on the top surface 144 of thebottom plate 126. Other example embodiments wherein the platform 114includes an absorbent or porous material are shown in FIGS. 16-22 anddescribed below. The absorbent or porous material may be a porouspolymer material, absorbent paper, or any other suitable absorbent orporous material which functions to absorb excess blood that is notabsorbed into the absorbent disk 116. As described in more detail below,in various embodiments, the platform 114 may have physical propertiesthat serve to balance capillary forces between the absorbent disk 116and the platform 114 so that excess blood in the absorbent disk 116 iswicked into the platform 114 so that the absorbent disk 116 is saturatedwith a precise amount of blood for testing. As noted above, the platform114 may include an absorbent material positioned below the absorbentdisk 116 and in physical contact with a bottom portion of the absorbentdisk 116. In various embodiments, the absorbent material of the platform114 may be a different material than the absorbent disk 116, or may be asame material as absorbent disk 116, but the absorbent disk 116 and theabsorbent material of the platform 114 are two different components.

Characteristics of the absorbent material included in the platform 114,e.g., average pore size, porosity, shape, volume, surface area, etc.,may be selected to provide a balance of relative capillary forcesbetween the absorbent disk 116 and the platform 114 such that blood inexcess of a predetermined absorbent disk saturation volume is drawn fromthe absorbent disk 116 into the platform 114. As one non-limitingexample, the platform 114 may include an absorbent disk composed of anabsorbent material with a diameter 212 greater than the diameter 214 ofthe absorbent sample disk 116. In some examples, diameter 212 may be atleast twice as large as diameter 214. However, in other examples,diameter 212 may be less than or substantially equal to diameter 214. Inthis example, the platform 114 comprising the absorbent material may bepositioned and sandwiched between the top plate 124 and bottom plate126. As noted above, the top and bottom plates 124 and 126 may becoupled together in any suitable way. In the example illustrated in FIG.2, the top plate 124 and bottom plate 126 are shown coupled together bya plurality of coupling elements 202 positioned adjacent to an outerperimeter of body 102. As one example, the coupling elements 202 mayinclude screws, e.g. machine screws, threaded directly into the bottomplate 126. As another example, the coupling elements 202 may includenuts coupled to bolts which extend through apertures in the top andbottom plates 124 and 126. It should be understood that any suitablecoupling components may be used to hold the top and bottom plates 124and 126 together, e.g., bolts, screws, clamps, rivets, clips, latches,pins, pegs, etc. In some examples, other approaches may be used tocouple the top and bottom plates 124 and 126 together without externalfasteners. For example, the top and bottom plates 124 and 126 of the DBScollection device 100 may be snapped together with plastic featuresextending from of each half and/or an adhesive or ultrasonic welding maybe used to couple the top and bottom plates 124 and 126 together. Whenthe top and bottom plates 124 and 126 are coupled together, they holdthe platform 114 and the absorbent disk 116 in a fixed position belowthe passage 106.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 also includes an indentation 128 whichassists in positioning a lanced finger and directing blood from thelanced finger into the passage 106 and onto the absorbent disk 116.However, in this example, indentation 128 is formed in a raised portion230 of the top plate 124 and extends a non-zero distance above the topsurface 136 of the top plate 124. In this example, the raised portion230 takes the form of a cylinder coupled to top surface 136 at a base ofthe cylinder. The interior of the cylinder includes walls which taperinwardly to form a funnel which assists in finger positioning anddirecting a blood sample into the passage 106. Excess blood not absorbedby the absorbent disk 116 may be absorbed by the platform 114 comprisingthe porous or absorbent material. Since the platform 114 is configuredto absorb excess blood in this example, occurrences of oversaturation ofthe absorbent disk 116 may be reduced, thereby potentially increasingaccuracy when the DBS sample is processed for testing.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another example embodiment of a DBScollection device 100. Like-numbered elements shown in FIG. 3 correspondto like-numbered elements shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and described above. Inthe example embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the platform 114 includes aplurality of capillary channels 302 formed from raised regions 304 inthe top surface 144 of the bottom plate 126. The capillary channels 302radiate outwardly in the top surface 144 of the bottom plate 126 frombeneath the absorbent disk 116 and open into larger channels 310 formedin the bottom plate 126. The capillary channels 302 may wick excessblood away from the absorbent disk 116 in order to reduce unevensaturation of the absorbent disk. For example, the capillary channels302 may be sized to provide a balance of relative capillary forcesbetween the absorbent disk 116 and the capillary channels 302 such thatblood in excess of a predetermined absorbent disk saturation volume(e.g., a fixed volume or percentage) is drawn from the absorbent disk116 into the capillary channels 302. Additionally, the capillarychannels 302 may assist in accelerating drying of a blood sampletransferred to the absorbent disk 116. In some examples, one or more airvents 306 may be included in the body 102. The air vents 306 may beformed as grooves or slots in the top surface 144 of the bottom plate126 and may be in communication with the capillary channels 302 toassist in drying blood in the absorbent disk 116 and in the capillarychannels 302. Any suitable design and any number of capillary channels302 may be used without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. The example shown in FIG. 3 shows four capillary channels302 which extend from central axis 120 toward an outer perimeter of thebody 102 and open into larger channels 310 positioned outside of afootprint of the absorbent disk 116. Raised regions 304 in the bottomplate may extend below the absorbent disk 116 to support the absorbentdisk 116 in a fixed position directly beneath the passage 106.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic depiction of another example embodiment of aDBS collection device 100. In this example, DBS collection device 100additionally includes a lancet system 418 described in more detailbelow. It should be understood that inclusion of a lancet system in DBScollection device 100 is optional and, in some embodiments, a lancetsystem may be omitted. Like-numbered elements shown in FIG. 4 correspondto like-numbered elements shown in FIGS. 1-3 and described above.

The DBS collection device 100 shown in FIG. 4 includes a body 102 thatdefines an inlet 104 of a passage 106 extending from an exterior 108 ofthe body 102 to an outlet 110 in an interior cavity 112 of the body 102.As remarked above, passage 106 may include any suitable passage ororifice, e.g., a capillary passage or a screened orifice. The body 102may include any suitable material and may have a variety of dimensionsand shapes, additional examples of which are described below.

The DBS collection device 100 shown in FIG. 4 includes a platform 114coupled to the body 102 within the interior cavity 112 of the body 102.Platform 114 is configured to hold a specifically-sized absorbent disk116 in a fixed position on a circular region 118 of the platform 114. Inthe illustrated embodiment, platform 114 is positioned directly beneathoutlet 110 of passage 106 so that a central axis 120 of the passage 106is normal to the platform 114 and intersects the center 122 of thecircular region 118 of the platform 114. The passage 106 may have apredetermined length 142 along the central axis 120 and a predetermineddiameter 140 or gauge. For example, the length 142 and diameter 140 ofthe passage 106 may be specifically sized to hold a predetermined amountof blood for delivery to the absorbent disk 116.

In some examples, the DBS collection device 100 may include a desiccant412 in interior cavity 112 to assist in drying blood transferred to theabsorbent disk 116 and to maintain a reduced humidity level inside theDBS collection device 100. Desiccant 412 may include any suitablehygroscopic substance that induces or sustains a state of dryness.Example desiccants include silica, activated charcoal, calcium sulfate,calcium chloride, molecular sieves, etc. Desiccant 412 may be mounted toor coupled within the interior cavity 112 of body 102 at any suitablelocation and in any suitable way. In some examples, an inner wall ofbody 102 may include one or more desiccant mounting components forholding desiccant 412 in a fixed position in the interior cavity 112.

The DBS collection device 100 may optionally include a lancet system418. Lancet system 418 may include a lancet 420 having a needle 422extending from a body 421 of the lancet 420, a lancet actuationcomponent 426, a lancet depth adjustment component 424, and a lancetport 462 formed as an opening in an outer wall of body 102. The needle422 may have any suitable length and gauge. For example, the needle 422may have a gauge of approximately 23. In some examples, the length ofthe needle 422 used may be selected based on a desired or nominal needlepenetration depth. As an example, the selected needle length may be suchthat the needle 422 extends a distance of approximately 2 mm out of body102 when actuated.

The lancet 420 may be slidably mounted in the interior cavity 112 ofbody 102 and in communication with the lancet actuation component 426such that when the lancet actuation component 426 is manually actuated,a portion of the needle 422 is projected out through the lancet port 462and into the exterior 108 of the body 102. For example, the lancetsystem 418 may include a biasing spring 458 which is coupled to orinterfaces with a base component 456 affixed within the interior cavity112 of body 102. The biasing spring 458 may be in contact with a baseportion of lancet 420, e.g., a side of lancet 420 opposing needle 422,to bias the lancet 420 toward the lancet port 462. In particular, thebiasing spring 458 may supply a biasing force to the lancet 420 in adirection along a central axis of the needle 422 of the lancet 420towards the lancet port 462.

In some examples, the spring-biased lancet 420 may be held in atrigger-ready position within the interior cavity 112 by a latch 454coupled to the lancet actuation component 426. For example, in thetrigger-ready position, the biasing spring 458 may be compressed betweenthe lancet 420 and the base component 456 to confer a potential energyto the biasing spring 458 which may be released, e.g., transformed tokinetic energy, in response to removal of the latch 454. Actuation ofthe lancet actuation component 426 may release the latch 454 from thelancet 420, thereby permitting the biasing spring 458 to propel thelancet 420 so that the needle 422 of the lancet 420 protrudes out of thelancet port 462 by a predetermined distance. For example, the lancetactuation component 426 may include a button which extends at leastpartially into the exterior 108 of body 102 so that a user can engage orpress the button in order to actuate the lancet 420.

The lancet 420 may be slidably mounted within tracks 470 mounted withinthe interior cavity 112 such that the lancet 420 is moveable within theinterior cavity 112 between a first position where the needle 422 isfully contained within the interior cavity 112 or does not protrude outof the lancet port 462 and a second position where a length of theneedle 422 extends outside of the lancet port 462. As an example, thelancet 420 may include slots or grooves which are complementary totracks 470 so that the lancet 420 can slide within the tracks 470between the first and second positions. In some examples, the length ofthe portion of the needle 422 projected out of the lancet port 462 maybe adjusted via a manual adjustment of the lancet depth adjustmentcomponent 424. For example, the lancet depth adjustment component 424may include one or more blocking elements 450 that interface with aportion of the lancet 420 to control the length of the needle 422 thatprotrudes out of the lancet port 462 following actuation of the lancet420. In some embodiments, the lancet depth adjustment component 424 mayinclude a slidable component extending at least partially outside ofbody 102. Adjustment of the lancet depth adjustment component 424 mayinclude sliding a blocking element 450 into a path extending parallel tothe central axis of needle 422 from a position on atop surface 480 ofthe body 421 adjacent to abase of needle 422. When slid into such aposition, the blocking element 450 may decrease the length of the needle422 which protrudes from the lancet port 462, thereby decreasing apenetration depth of the needle 422 into a finger positioned on thelancet port 462 when the lancet 420 is actuated.

In some examples, lancet system 418 may be a single-use lancet system,such that, after an initial actuation of the lancet 420 which causes theneedle 422 to protrude out of the lancet port 462, the needle 422automatically retracts back into the interior cavity 112 and stays inthe interior cavity 112 during subsequent lancet actuation attemptsfollowing the initial actuation. For example, the lancet actuationcomponent 426 may include a breakable component 452 which breaks orbecomes non-functional, i.e., no longer operable to actuate the lancet420, after an initial actuation of the lancet 420 so that the lancetactuation component 426 is no longer functional following the initialactuation.

In some examples, the lancet system 418 may include a counter-biasingspring 460 which interfaces with the lancet 420 to retract the needle422 after actuation of the lancet 420. For example, a first end of thecounter-biasing spring 460 may be in contact with top surface 480 oflancet body 421 and a second end of the counter-biasing spring 460,opposing the first end, may be in contact with an inner surface of body102 at a position adjacent to lancet port 462. The counter-biasingspring 460 may bias the lancet 420 away from the lancet port 462. Inparticular, the counter-biasing spring 460 may supply a counter-biasingforce to the lancet 420 in a direction along a central axis of theneedle 422 of the lancet 420 away from the lancet port 462. In someembodiments, the counter-biasing force provided by the counter-biasingspring 460 may be less than the biasing force provided by the biasingspring 458. For example, a spring constant of the counter-biasing spring460 may be less than a spring constant of the biasing spring 458. Thespring constant of the counter-biasing spring 460 relative to the springconstant of the biasing spring 458 may be such that, following aninitial protrusion of the needle 422 out of the lancet port 462, thelancet 420 returns to an equilibrium position governed by the springconstant of the biasing spring 458 and the spring constant of thecounter-biasing spring 460. In the equilibrium position, the needle 422of the lancet 420 may be fully contained inside the interior cavity 112of the body 102 and/or may not extend outside of the lancet port 162.

In some examples, DBS collection device 100 may include packaging 414.Packaging 414 may include any suitable packaging components which sealthe body of the DBS collection device 100, e.g., packaging 414 mayinclude a plastic bag or container. For example, the packaging 414 maybe used to form a watertight seal around the DBS collection device 100,provide UV protection of the DBS collection device 100, and/or provideinsulation to the DBS collection device 100, etc. As an example,following manufacture of DBS collection device 100, the DBS collectiondevice 100 may be sealed in a suitable watertight protective bag orcontainer providing the packaging 114. In order to use the DBScollection device 100, a user may unseal the DBS collection device 100by opening the packaging 114 and removing the body 102 from thepackaging 114. After a blood sample is delivered to the absorbent disk116 in the device 100, the user may then reseal the DBS collectiondevice 100 using a suitable bag or container so that the sealed DBScollection device 100 can be transported to a testing facility.

In some examples, DBS collection device 100 may include indicia 440 onone or more regions of an exterior surface of the body 102. For example,the indicia 440 may include one or more of markings, symbols, serialnumbers bar codes, optical labels, etc. The indicia may be used to labelor identify information associated with the DBS collection device 100and/or information associated with a user of the DBS collection device100. As another example, indicia 440 may be included adjacent to lancetdepth adjustment component 424 to indicate different lancet needle depthoptions as shown in FIGS. 8, 10, 16-18, and 22 and described below.

In some embodiments, the DBS collection device 100 may include amanually actuatable component mounted in the body 102 configured toadjust the position of the absorbent disk 116 relative to the outlet110. In particular, the manually actuatable component may be adjustablebetween a first position and a second position relative to the body 102.In the first position, when an absorbent disk 116 is mounted in a fixedposition on the circular region 118 of the platform 114, the outlet 110is not in physical contact with the absorbent disk 116 so that there isa non-zero distance 408 between the outlet 110 and a top surface of theabsorbent disk 116. In the second position, when an absorbent disk 116is mounted in the fixed position on the platform 114, the outlet 110 isin physical contact with the absorbent disk 116, i.e., edges of thepassage 106 at the outlet 110 opening touch the surface of the absorbentdisk 116.

The manually actuatable component may be included in DBS collectiondevice 100 in a variety of ways, some examples of which are describedbelow. In one example shown in FIG. 5, a manually actuatable component502 may include or be coupled to platform 114 such that actuation of themanually actuatable component 502 causes the platform 114 to move towardthe outlet 110 in a direction along the central axis 120 of the passage106 until the absorbent disk 116 on the platform 114 is in physicalcontact with, e.g. physically touches, the outlet 110. In this example,manually actuatable component 502 is adjustable between a first positionand a second position relative to the body 102, wherein, in the firstposition when an absorbent disk 116 is mounted in a fixed position onthe circular region 118 on the platform 114, the outlet 110 is not inphysical contact with the absorbent disk 116 (e.g., does not touch theabsorbent disk 116 as shown in FIG. 4), and, in the second position whenan absorbent disk 116 is mounted in the fixed position on the platform114, the outlet 110 is in physical contact with the absorbent disk 116(e.g., edges defining the opening of the outlet 110 touch a top surfaceof the absorbent disk 116 as shown in FIG. 5).

In the example schematically shown in FIG. 5, manually actuatablecomponent 502 may be coupled to platform 114 in any suitable way. Forexample, manually-actuatable component 502 may be physically connectedto platform 114 or otherwise in communication with platform 114 so thata force applied to manually actuatable component 502 is transferred orcommunicated to platform 114 to move the platform toward outlet 110.Manually actuatable component 502 may at least partially extend outsidethe body of the DBS collection device 100 and may take the form of abutton, lever, slider, etc. In some examples, manually-actuatablecomponent 502 may be biased, e.g., via a spring, to remain in the firstposition in the absence of actuation or force applied to manuallyactuatable component 502. Examples of the manually actuatable component502 schematically shown in FIG. 5 are described below with reference toFIGS. 7-15.

As another example, as shown in FIG. 6, a manually actuatable component602 may include a region of the body 102 adjacent to and including thepassage 106 such that actuation of the manually actuatable component 602causes the passage 106 to move toward the platform 114 until the outlet110 is in physical contact with the absorbent disk 116 on the platform114. In this example, manually actuatable component 602 is adjustablebetween a first position and a second position relative to the body 102,wherein, in the first position when an absorbent disk 116 is mounted ina fixed position on the circular region 118 on the platform 114, theoutlet 110 is not in physical contact with the absorbent disk (as shownin FIG. 4), and, in the second position when an absorbent disk 116 ismounted in the fixed position on the platform 114, the outlet 110 is inphysical contact with the absorbent disk 116 (as shown in FIG. 6).

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the platform 114 remains in a fixedposition while the passage 106 is moveable relative to body 102 viaactuation of manually actuatable component 602. For example, when alanced finger is placed onto manually actuatable component 602 abovepassage 106 and used to apply a force to the manually actuatablecomponent 602 in a direction toward platform 114 along the central axis120 of the passage 106, the passage 106 is moved downward towardplatform 114 until the outlet 110 is in physical contact with absorbentdisk 116 mounted on platform 114. In some examples, manually actuatablecomponent 602 may be biased, e.g., via a spring, to remain in the firstposition in the absence of actuation or force applied to manuallyactuatable component 602. Examples of the manually actuatable component602 schematically shown in FIG. 6 are described below with reference toFIGS. 16-22.

The manually actuatable component, e.g., component 502 or 602 describedabove, may be used to selectively deliver a metered amount of bloodcontained in the passage 106 to the absorbent disk 116 for a duration.As remarked above, in some examples, in absence of actuation or forceapplied to the manually actuatable component, the outlet 110 of thepassage 106 may not be in physical contact with the absorbent disk 116,e.g., the outlet 110 may be separated from the absorbent disk 116 by anon-zero distance. By keeping the outlet 110 separated from theabsorbent disk 116 after transfer of the blood sample, occurrences ofuneven saturation or oversaturation of the absorbent disk 116 may bereduced. In some examples, the DBS collection device 100 may include awindow (examples of which are shown in FIGS. 7-10, 19, and 21 anddescribed below) that allows a user to visually inspect a transfer ofblood from the passage 106 to the absorbent disk 116. For example, theuser may actuate the manually actuatable component so that the outlet110 is placed in physical contact with the absorbent disk 116 tofacilitate transfer of a blood sample in the passage 106 to theabsorbent disk 116. Upon visual identification of saturation of theabsorbent disk 116 via the window, the user may discontinue actuation ofthe manually actuatable component so that the outlet 110 is no longer inphysical contact with the absorbent disk 116. Identification ofsaturation of the absorbent disk 116 while the manually actuatablecomponent is activated may be achieved in a variety of ways. Forexample, instructions may be provided to a user to maintain actuation ofthe manually actuatable component to transfer blood from the passage 106to the absorbent disk 116 for a predetermined period of time. As anotherexample, DBS collection device 100 may include one or more sensorsand/or timers used to detect and or identify sufficient saturation ofthe absorbent disk 116. In this example, the DBS collection device 100may be configured to output a notification, e.g., a visual or audionotification, to the user to discontinue actuation of the manuallyactuatable component in response to a detection or identification ofsufficient saturation of the absorbent disk 116.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another example embodiment of a DBScollection device 100. Like-numbered elements shown in FIG. 7 correspondto like-numbered elements shown in FIGS. 1-6 and described above. TheDBS collection device 100 shown in FIG. 7 includes a body 102, having alength 206, width 208, and thickness 210, that forms an “I” shapeddevice. Coupling elements 202 couple together the top plate 124 and thebottom plate 126 at regions of the body 112 which extend outwardly atthe corners of the DBS collection device 100.

The DBS collection device 100 shown in FIG. 7 includes a manuallyactuatable component 502 that includes wings 704 coupled to opposingsides of platform 114 and extending upward in a direction along acentral axis of passage 106 to partially protrude out of the top surface136 of the body 102 at opposing positions adjacent to inlet 104. Theends of the protruding portions 740 of the wings 704 of the manuallyactuatable component 502 are slanted inwardly toward the inlet 104. Themanually actuatable component 502 shown in FIG. 7 is spring-biased via aspring 706 positioned between the base 708 of the platform 114 and aninternal surface 710 in the interior cavity 112 at a bottom portion 744of the DBS collection device 100. The spring 706 exerts an upward forceon the platform 114 and wings 704 so that, in a resting position, theoutlet 110 of the passage 106 is in physical contact with an absorbentdisk 116 mounted in a fixed position on a circular region 118 of theplatform 114.

The manually actuatable component 502 is slidably mounted in theinterior cavity 112 of the body 102 via opposing inner walls 750 whichinterface with outer edges of the wings 704 of the manually actuatablecomponent 502. In this example, actuation of the manually actuatablecomponent 502 causes the platform 114 to move away from the outlet 110in a direction along the central axis of the passage 106 so thatphysical contact between the outlet 110 and the absorbent disk 116 isdiscontinued, e.g. such that there is anon-zero distance between theoutlet 110 and the absorbent disk 116 when the manually actuatablecomponent 502 is engaged. For example, a user may place a lanced fingerabove the inlet 104 to engage the protruding portions 740 of wings 704.The user may then exert a downward force onto the protruding portions740 of wings 704 so that the manually actuatable component 502 is pushedin a downward direction such that the outlet 110 is not in physicalcontact with the absorbent disk 116. The user may continue applying thedownward force to protruding portions 700 of wings 704 until the lancedfinger interfaces with the inlet 104 to transfer blood from the lancedfinger into the passage 106 while the absorbent disk 116 is not incontact with the outlet 110. The user may continue transferring bloodfrom the lanced finger to the passage 106 in this way until the passage116 is sufficiently filled with a blood sample. As remarked above, insome examples, a diameter and length of the passage 106 may be sized tocontain a predetermined amount of blood such that, once the passage 106is filled with the predetermined amount of blood, no further transfer ofblood from the lanced finger into the passage 106 may occur. Aftertransferring blood to the passage 106, the user may disengage themanually actuatable component 502 by discontinuing application of thedownward force applied to the protruding portions 740 of wings 704. Insome embodiments, after the user disengages the manually actuatablecomponent 502, the manually-actuatable component 502 returns to itsspring-biased resting position in which the outlet 110 is in physicalcontact with the absorbent disk 116 so that blood contained in thepassage 106 is transferred to the absorbent disk 116 to saturate theabsorbent disk 116.

The DBS device 100 shown in FIG. 7 additionally includes a window 702which allows a user to visually inspect the absorbent disk 116 duringcertain conditions. In this example, the window 702 is formed in a wallof body 102 at a position below the absorbent disk 116 when the manuallyactuatable component 502 is in the resting position, e.g., not actuated.After actuation of the manually-actuatable component 502 to transferblood into the passage 106, the user may disengage the manuallyactuatable component 502 so that transfer from the passage 106 to theabsorbent disk 116 occurs while the absorbent disk 116 is out of view ofthe window 702. In order to see if the absorbent disk 116 issufficiently saturated, the user may then re-engage/actuate the manuallyactuatable component 502 so that the absorbent disk 116 comes into viewvia window 702. If, via visual inspection of the absorbent disk 116 viathe window 702, the user determines that the absorbent disk 116 is notsufficiently saturated with blood, the user may add an additional amountof blood to the passage 106 for transfer to the absorbent disk 116 asdescribed above.

FIGS. 8-13 are various views of another example embodiment of a DBScollection device 100 having a manually actuatable component 502. Inparticular, FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of DBS collection device100, FIG. 9 is a back perspective view of DBS collection device 100,FIG. 10 is a front view of DBS collection device 100, FIG. 11 is a backview of DBS collection device 100, FIG. 12 is a side view along a length206 of body 102, and FIG. 13 is a side view along a width 208 of body102. Detail views of the manually actuatable component 502 included inthe example device shown in FIGS. 8-13 are shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.Like-numbered elements shown in FIGS. 8-15 correspond to like-numberedelements shown in FIGS. 1-7 and described above.

The example DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 8-13 includes abody 102 with a top plate 124 and a bottom plate 126 coupled togetherforming a card-shaped cassette or clamshell device having a length 206,width 208, and thickness 210. In this example, the length 206 is greaterthan the width 208 and the thickness 210 is at least 4 times less thanthe width 208. For example, the width 208 may be approximately 55 mm,the length 206 may be approximately 78 mm, and the thickness 210 may beapproximately 12 mm. The body 102 may include any suitable material. Asone non-limiting example, the top plate 124 and the bottom plate 126 mayinclude a plastic material and may be coupled together via one or moreinterlocking components positioned adjacent to an outer perimeter of thebody 102. Though not shown in the figures, DBS collection device 100 mayinclude a desiccant in the interior cavity 112 of body 102 for dryingout a blood sample during shipping, for example.

Body 102 of the DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 8-13 defines aninlet 104 of a passage 106 extending from an exterior of the body 102 toan outlet 110 in an interior cavity 112 of the body 102. In thisexample, inlet 104 is formed in a raised region 802 of body 102 at topsurface 836. The raised region 802 extends a non-zero distance above thetop surface 836. The inlet 104 is positioned at the center of a topsurface of the raised region 802 and edges of the top surface of theraised region 802 are rounded, curving downwardly from the inlet 104 toform an inverted C-shaped protrusion above top surface 836. The raisedregion 802 is included to assist a user in placing a lanced finger overthe inlet 104 in order to transfer blood into the passage 106.

In this example, the passage 106 includes a capillary tube 822 having apredetermined length and diameter/gauge sized to hold a predeterminedamount of blood, e.g., 3 μL of blood. For example, the capillary tube822 may have a length of approximately 11.5 mm, an inner diameter ofapproximately 0.577 mm, and an outer diameter of approximately 1.35 mm.A portion of capillary tube 822 is mounted within a tubular orifice 804formed within the raised portion 802 beneath the inlet 104. The tubularorifice 804 may be sized to receive and fixedly hold capillary tube 822thereby forming passage 106. In particular, the capillary tube 822mounted inside of the tubular orifice 804 may form the passage 106extending from the inlet 104 to the outlet 110.

The DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 8-13 includes acylindrically-shaped platform 114 coupled to the body 102 within theinterior cavity 112. Platform 114 is positioned directly beneath outlet110 of passage 106 so that a central axis of the passage 106 correspondsto a central axis of the cylindrically-shaped platform 114. Platform 114is configured to hold a specifically-sized absorbent disk 116 in a fixedposition on a circular region 118 on a top surface of platform 114. Thetop surface of the platform 114 includes absorbent disk mountingcomponents 1402 (FIGS. 14 and 15) configured to position and hold anabsorbent disk 116 in a fixed position on the top surface of theplatform 114. In this example, the mounting components 1402 includesmall cylindrical protrusions or posts on the top surface of theplatform 114 and are positioned around a circumference of the absorbentdisk 116 to hold the absorbent disk 116 in place with an interferencefit. For example, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the top surface of theplatform 114 may include three protrusions 1402 on the top surface 1503of platform 114 positioned around the circumference of the absorbentdisk 116 and spaced on the top surface 1503 such that the distancebetween adjacent pairs of protrusions on the top surface 1503 issubstantially the same for each adjacent pair of protrusions (e.g., theprotrusions are evenly spaced). Though FIGS. 14 and 15 show cylindricalprotrusions 1402 positioned around the absorbent disk 116 to hold theabsorbent disk 116 in place, it should be understood that any number andany suitable type of mounting components 1402 may be used to positionand hold the absorbent disk 116 in a fixed position on the top surface1503 of the platform 114 without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the platform 114 defines a cylindricalaperture 1551 positioned beneath the absorbent disk 116 and extendingthrough the center of the platform 114 along a central axis of theplatform 114. Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the top surface1503 of platform 114 may include smaller protrusions or posts 1510positioned between the larger protrusions 1402. The smaller protrusions1510 may extend above the top surface 1503 of the platform 114 by adistance which is less than the distance that the larger protrusions1402 extend above the top surface 1503 of the platform 114. A bottomsurface of the absorbent disk 116 may be supported by the smallerprotrusions 1510 so that the absorbent disk is positioned a non-zerodistance above the top surface 1503 of the platform 114, therebypermitting air to flow beneath the absorbent disk 116 and through thecylindrical aperture 1551 to accelerate drying of the absorbent disk 116after a blood sample is transferred thereto.

The DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 8-13 includes a manuallyactuatable component 502 coupled to platform 114 such that actuation ofthe manually actuatable component 502 causes the platform 114 to movetoward the outlet 110 in a direction along the central axis of thepassage 106 until the absorbent disk 116 on the platform 114 is inphysical contact with the outlet 110 (as shown in FIGS. 9, 14, and 15and discussed below). In this example, manually actuatable component 502is adjustable between a first position and a second position relative tothe body 102, wherein, in the first position when an absorbent disk 116is mounted in a fixed position on the circular region 118 on theplatform 114, the outlet 110 is not in physical contact with theabsorbent disk 116 and, in the second position when an absorbent disk116 is mounted in the fixed position on the platform 114, the outlet 110is in physical contact with the absorbent disk 116.

The example manually actuatable component 502 shown in FIGS. 8-15includes a slidable button 871 (FIG. 8) on an exterior surface of body102. The button 871 is coupled to platform 114 via a coupling element1502 (FIG. 15) which is affixed to the button 871 adjacent to atopportion of the button 871 and coupled to a bottom portion of theplatform 114. In some embodiments, coupling element 1502 may be disposedbetween the base of platform 114 and the backside of the button 817. Thecoupling element 1502 is shaped and sized to fit within an elongatedaperture 950 in a wall of the body 102 so that the coupling element 1502is moveable within the elongated aperture 950 in a direction parallel toa central axis of the passage 106. Additionally, a tab 902 (FIGS. 9 and14) is coupled to a back side of button 871 (at a position belowplatform 114) and is sized and shaped to be slidable between opposingtracks 904 mounted in the interior cavity 112 below the platform 114 andoriented in directions parallel to the central axis of the passage 106.A bottom back portion of the platform 114 also includes a tab 906 whichis sized to fit between the tracks 904 when the manually actuatablecomponent 502 is moved in a downward direction away from the outlet 110.

In this example, platform 114 is biased via a spring 806 such that, inthe absence of actuation or force applied to manually actuatablecomponent 502, the platform 114 is maintained in a position wherein theabsorbent disk 116 does not touch the outlet 110. Spring 806 extendsfrom an interior surface of raised region 802 to at least partially wraparound the outer surface of the platform 114 and interfaces with the topsurface of coupling element 1502 so that the spring 806 exerts adownward force on the platform 114, thereby maintaining anon-zerodistance between the absorbent disk 116 and the outlet 110 in absence ofactuation of the manually actuatable component 502. For example, a usermay place a lanced finger on the raised portion 802 so that a bloodsample is transferred into the passage 106 while the manually actuatablecomponent 502 is not actuated and thus that the spring 806 biases theoutlet 110 away from the absorbent disk 116. Once a volume of blood istransferred into the passage 106, the user may apply an upward force tothe button 871 in a direction parallel to the central axis of thepassage 106 and towards the inlet 104 until the absorbent disk 116physically touches the outlet 110. The user may then maintain theapplied force on the button 871 so that the contact between theabsorbent disk 116 and the outlet 110 is maintained to facilitatetransfer of blood from the passage 106 to the absorbent disk 116. Once asufficient amount of blood is transferred from the passage 106 to theabsorbent disk 116, the user may release the force applied to the button871 so that the outlet 110 is again separated from the absorbent disk116.

DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 8-13 additionally includes awindow 702 which allows a user to visually inspect a transfer of bloodfrom the passage 106 to the absorbent disk 116 while engaging themanually actuatable component 502. In this example, the window 702includes a transparent portion of a wall of the body 102 at a corner 880of the body 102 adjacent to the inlet 104. For example, the window 702may be composed of a substantially transparent plastic material which isinserted into a cutout in the wall of the body 102 adjacent to corner880. The transparent window 702 may be mounted in the cutout in the wallof body 102 such that the transparent window 702 may be unsnapped andremoved at a lab, for example. After removal of the window 702, thecomponent comprising the platform 114 and the manually actuatablecomponent 502 may be removed from body 102 so that the absorbent disk116 can be accessed for testing. This removable component comprising theplatform 114 and the manually actuatable component 502 may provide alaboratory technician with a conveniently-sized part for handling, and,in some examples, may include bar code information or other indiciawhich may be inspected or scanned at the lab.

DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 8-13 also includes a lancetsystem 418 (FIG. 9). Lancet system 418 includes a lancet 420 having aneedle 422 extending from a body of the lancet, a lancet actuationcomponent 426, a lancet depth adjustment component 424, and a lancetport 462 formed as an opening in an outer wall of body 102. Lancet 420is slidably mounted in the interior cavity 112 of body 102 and is incommunication with the lancet actuation component 426 such that when thelancet actuation component 426 is actuated, a portion of the needle 422is projected out through the lancet port 462.

In the non-limiting example shown in FIGS. 8-13, the lancet system 418includes a biasing spring 458 positioned between a base 951 of lancet420 and a spring base component 456 mounted within the interior cavity112 of body 102. The lancet 420 is held in a trigger-ready positionwithin the interior cavity 112 by a latch 454 coupled to the lancetactuation component 426. In the trigger-ready position, the biasingspring 458 is compressed between the lancet 420 and the spring basecomponent 456 to confer a potential energy to the biasing spring 458.This potential energy may be released in response to removal of thelatch 454. Actuation of the lancet actuation component 426 may releasethe latch 454 from the lancet 420 thereby permitting the biasing spring458 to propel the lancet 420 so that the needle 422 of the lancet 420protrudes out of the lancet port 462 by a predetermined distance.Actuation of the lancet actuation component 426 by removal of the latch454 is discussed in further detail below.

In the non-limiting example shown in shown in FIGS. 8-13, the lancetactuation component 426 includes a lever having a fulcrum 812 dividingthe lever into a first region 810 and a second region 808. The fulcrum812 may include a rod 933 (FIG. 9) coupled to an underside of the lancetactuation component 426 in the interior cavity 112. Ends of the rod 933may be pivotally mounted in supports 937 coupled to an internal wall inthe interior cavity 112 of the body 102. The lever may be composed ofany suitable material, e.g., plastic, and may have any suitabledimensions. In one example, as shown in FIG. 10, the lever has a width953 which is at least two times less than a length 955 of the lever.Further, in this example, the width 953 of the lever is greater than athickness 961 (FIG. 8) of the lever, e.g., the width 953 may be at least5 times greater than the thickness 961, to form a thin, flat, pivotableactuating component which is at least partially rotatable about thefulcrum 812. In this non-limiting example, a length 957 of the firstregion 810 is greater than a length 959 of the second region 808. Adistal end 870 of the second region 808 has rounded edges so that theouter surface at the distal end 870 of the second region 808 forms ahalf-circle shape (as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10). An underside of thesecond region 808 includes a latch 454 at the distal end 870 whichengages the lancet 420 to hold the lancet 420 in a trigger-readyposition wherein the spring 458 is compressed. Prior to actuation of thelancet actuation component 426 while the latch 454 is engaged with thelancet 420, the first region 810 may be recessed within an aperture 1004(FIG. 10) in body 102 so that the outer surface of the first region 810is in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of the body 102adjacent to the first region 810. The first region 810 is moveable intothe interior cavity 112 of the body 102 via aperture 1004. The outersurface of the second region 808 may be positioned above a plane of theouter surface of body 102 adjacent to the second region 808 so that thesecond region 808 protrudes above a surface of the body 102 as shown inFIG. 12. First region 810 may additionally include a guiding element1002 (FIG. 10) on the outer surface near a distal end of the firstregion 810. Guiding element 1002 may include a mark, e.g., a circularmark, or indentation for indicating a location to apply force to actuatethe lancet 420.

The lancet 420 is slidably mounted within two opposing tracks 470coupled to an inner wall of the body 102 in the interior cavity 112 suchthat the lancet 420 is moveable within the interior cavity 112 between afirst position where the lancet needle 422 is fully contained within theinterior cavity 112 and a second position where a length of the needle422 extends outside of the lancet port 462. The length of the portion ofthe needle 422 projected out of the lancet port 462 may be adjusted viaa manual adjustment of the lancet depth adjustment component 424. Inthis non-limiting example, the lancet depth adjustment component 424includes a slider positioned on the top surface 836 of body 102. Aplurality of raised elements, or treads, is formed on the top surface ofthe slider. The raised portions on the top surface of the slider mayincrease the coefficient of friction when a user applies a lateral forceto the top surface of the slider to move the slider in a directionparallel to top surface 836. The slider is coupled to a blocking element450 through an elongated aperture 1211 (FIG. 12) in the top surface 836.For example, a user may apply a lateral force to the slider to move aportion of the blocking element 450 into a path of the top surface 480of lancet 420 in order to decrease a depth of penetration of the lancetneedle 422.

In the non-limiting example of the DBS collection device 100 shown inFIGS. 8-13, the lancet depth adjustment component 424 additionallyincludes a tab 814 (FIG. 8) coupled to a side of the lancet depthadjustment component 424 near the center of the lancet depth adjustmentcomponent 424. The tab 814 may have edges extending downwardly from thetop surface 836 that taper to a pointed end. Indicia 440 may be includedon an outer surface of body 102 at a position beneath the pointed end oftab 814. The indicia 440 may include markings or labels which indicatedifferent lancet depths corresponding to different positions of thelancet depth adjustment component 424. For example, when the lancetdepth adjustment component 424 is in a first position, the pointed endof tab 814 on lancet depth adjustment component 424 may be directlyabove a first depth marking corresponding to a first length that thelancet needle 422 would protrude out of lancet port 462 upon actuationof the lancet 420; when the lancet depth adjustment component 424 is ina second position, the pointed end of tab 814 on lancet depth adjustmentcomponent 424 may be directly above a second depth marking correspondingto a second different length that the lancet needle 422 would protrudeout of lancet port 462 upon actuation of the lancet 420.

In the non-limiting example of the DBS collection device 100 shown inFIGS. 8-13, the lancet system 418 is a single-use lancet system suchthat, after an initial actuation of the lancet 420 which causes theneedle 422 to protrude out of the lancet port 462, the needle 422automatically retracts back into the interior cavity 112 and stays inthe interior cavity 112 during subsequent lancet actuation attemptsfollowing the initial actuation. For example, in order to actuate thelancet 420, the user may apply a force to the first region 810 of thelancet actuation component 426 in a direction toward the interior cavity112 of the body 102. Such a force would cause the lever to rotate aboutthe fulcrum 812 so that the latch 454 at the distal end 870 of thesecond region 808 of the lancet actuation component 426 is disengagedfrom the lancet 420, thereby permitting the (spring biased) lancet 420to move toward the lancet port 462 so that a portion of the needle 422extends out of the lancet port. The latch 454 may be coupled to lancet420 by a set of hooks on each part (not shown). When DBS collectiondevice 100 is assembled, the lancet 420 may be placed such that it loadscompression spring 458 and is then retained in a compressed position bythe hook on latch 454. The hook on latch 454 may release the lancet 420when lancet actuation component 426 is pushed (and the breakablecomponent 452 is broken or yields), and compression spring 458 may thenpush lancet 420 forward. In this example, the lancet 420 includes twoopposing wings 991 (FIG. 9) coupled to opposing sides of the lancet 420and in contact with opposing tracks 470 when the lancet 420 is launchedtoward the lancet port 462. The opposing wings 991 each include flaredends 993 which are curved/bent outwardly away from a central axis of theneedle 422 adjacent to an end of the lancet 420 opposite from needle422. After the lancet 420 is launched (via the spring 458) toward thelancet port 462 following disengagement of latch 454, the lancet 420moves toward the lancet port 462 until the flared ends 993 come intocontact with tracks 470. The flared ends 993 may hold the lancet 420 inplace. A counter-biasing spring (like the counter-biasing spring 460 ofFIG. 2), weaker than compression spring 458, then creates acounter-biasing force when the lancet 420 is launched forward andreaches a “hard stop”; the counter-biasing spring “pushes” the lancet420 back some small distance until the counter-biasing spring and thecompression spring 458 equilibrate. This causes the lancet 420 toretract back into the interior cavity 112 after the needle 422 brieflyprotrudes from the lancet port 462 so that the tip of the needle 422does not protrude from the DBS collection device 100. In this example,after actuation and retraction of the lancet 420, the location of thelancet 420 in the interior cavity 112 is such that the needle 422 isfully contained within the interior cavity 112 but at a location whichis different from the location of the lancet 420 in the trigger-readystate. As such, the latch 454 may not engage the lancet 420 after aninitial actuation and the lancet 420 may not again be actuated.

FIGS. 16-21 show various views of another example embodiment of a DBScollection device 100 having a manually actuatable component 602. Inparticular, FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of DBS collection device100, FIG. 17 is a front view of DBS collection device 100, FIG. 18 isanother front perspective view of DBS collection device 100, FIG. 19 isa back view of DBS collection device 100, FIG. 20 is a side view of DBScollection device 100, and FIG. 21 is a back view of DBS collectiondevice 100 with internal components exposed. Like-numbered elementsshown in FIGS. 16-21 correspond to like-numbered elements shown in FIGS.1-15 and described above.

The example DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 16-21 includes abody 102 having a length 206, width 208, and thickness 210. In thisexample, the length 206 is greater than the width 208 and the thickness210 is at least 4 times the width 208. As a non-limiting example, thelength 206 may be approximately 65 mm, the width 208 may beapproximately 55 mm, and the thickness 210 may be approximately 6 mm.The body 102 may include any suitable material or combination ofmaterials. As one non-limiting example, the body 102 may be composed ofa plurality of plastic components coupled together to form a housingwhich includes various components, examples of which are describedbelow. One or more contours may be formed in body 102 to provide a userfeedback for finger placement while using the DBS collection device 100.In this example, a side 1626 of the body includes an indented region1606 in which a width of the body 102 in the indented region 1606 isless than the width 208 of the body at sides 1624 and 1628, therebyforming an indented profile when viewed from a top surface 1620. Alancet port 462 is positioned in the indented region 1606 at a locationin side 1626 wherein the width of the body 102 is at a minimum. Theindented region 1606 may assist a user in holding the body 102 andpositioning a finger over lancet port 462.

Body 102 of the DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 16-21 definesan inlet 104 of a passage 106 extending from an exterior of the body 102to an outlet 110 in an interior cavity 112 of the body 102. In thisexample, passage 106 includes a capillary passage. However, it should beunderstood that any suitable passage or orifice may be used withoutdeparting from the scope. For example, as shown in FIG. 22 describedbelow, passage 106 may include a screened orifice.

In this example, inlet 104 is formed in a manually actuatable component602 positioned in an aperture 1602 in the top surface 1620 of the body.The manually actuatable component 602 takes the form of a funnel havinginwardly slanted walls 2010 (FIG. 20) which slope inwardly from topsurface 1620 toward the interior cavity 112 and terminate at the inlet104 of passage 106. The top surface 1620 additionally includes a channel1604 recessed in the top surface 1620 forming an indented contour on anelongated region of the top surface 1620. The channel 1604 includes arecessed region of the top surface 1620 having a width 1652 and a length1654. The channel 1604 extends from side 1624 toward the opposing side1628 and terminates in a rounded region 1656 at a position on topsurface 1620 offset by a non-zero distance from side 1628. Manuallyactuatable component 602 is positioned within aperture 1602 in thechannel 1604 adjacent to the rounded region 1656. The channel 1604 mayassist in guiding finger placement into the funnel and directing bloodfrom a lanced finger positioned in or near the funnel into the inlet104.

In the example shown in FIGS. 16-21, the passage 106 is formed by walls2010 (FIG. 20) of the manually actuatable component 602 beneath theinlet 104 and opens into the interior cavity 112 via the outlet 110. Thepassage 106 may have a predetermined length and predetermined diameteror gauge that are sized to meter the amount of blood delivered to theabsorbent disk 116. In this example, DBS collection device 100 includesa disk-shaped platform 114 coupled to the body 102 within the interiorcavity 112. The platform 114 is positioned directly beneath outlet 110of passage 106 so that a central axis of the passage 106 corresponds toa central axis of the platform 114. In this example, the platform 114includes an absorbent and/or porous material which is in physicalcontact with a bottom surface of the (primary) absorbent disk 116. Thesecondary absorbent or porous material may be a porous polymer material,absorbent paper, or any other suitable absorbent or porous materialwhich functions to absorb excess blood that is not absorbed by theabsorbent disk 116. The secondary absorbent material may have anysuitable physical dimensions, properties, or characteristics, e.g.,average pore size, porosity, shape, volume, surface area, etc., selectedto provide a balance of relative capillary forces between the absorbentdisk 116 and the absorbent platform 114 such that blood in excess of apredetermined absorbent disk saturation volume is drawn from theabsorbent disk 116 into the secondary absorbent material. For example,an average pore size of the secondary absorbent material may be greaterthan an average pore size of the absorbent disk 116. Such an approachoperates on a self-regulating principle that uses the balance ofrelative capillary forces between interacting materials to achieve aconsistency of blood volume in the absorbent disk 116. The balance maybe achieved through careful selection of materials and their capillaryproperties, for example. In particular, when blood is introduced to thetop of absorbent disk 116 via inlet 104, it may wick into the absorbentdisk 116 via capillary forces presented by the internal structure of theabsorbent disk 116. Excessive amounts of blood, e.g., a larger volume ofblood than the absorbent disk 116 is capable of absorbing, may bepresented to the top surface of the absorbent disk 116. On its own, theabsorbent disk 116 may tend to oversaturate with blood and leave aresidue of extra blood on its top surface. However, with the secondaryabsorbent material present on the other side of the absorbent disk 116,a capillary pressure may be created between the secondary absorbentmaterial and the absorbent disk 116. The secondary absorbent materialmay have physical properties or characteristics selected to provide acapillary pressure between the absorbent disk 116 and the secondaryabsorbent material that is too weak, e.g., a capillary pressure which isless than an upper capillary pressure threshold, to wickcorrectly-saturated blood from the absorbent disk 116 so that the volumeof blood in the absorbent disk 116 remains greater than a lowerspecification limit for testing. Concurrently, the secondary absorbentmaterial may provide a capillary pressure between the absorbent disk 116and the secondary absorbent material which is strong enough, e.g., acapillary pressure which is greater than a lower capillary pressurethreshold, to wick excessive blood from the absorbent disk 116 so thatthe volume of blood remaining in the absorbent disk 116 is less than anupper specification limit for testing. As a non-limiting example, theabsorbent disk 116 may include a 3 mm diameter GE DMPK-A paper dot(manufactured by GE Healthcare BioSciences Corp. of Piscataway, N.J.)resting on top of an absorbent material comprising a 7 mm diameter, 1.6mm thick POREX disc (manufactured by Porex Corp., Fairburn, Ga.). Forexample, the disc may include a POREX X-4899 Polyethylene sheet with apore size of approximately 50 to 90 microns.

As a non-limiting example, the platform 114 may include an absorbentand/or porous disk composed of an absorbent and/or porous materialhaving a diameter greater than the diameter of the absorbent disk 116.In some examples, the diameter of the platform 114 may be at least twiceas large as the diameter of the absorbent disk 116. However, in otherexamples, the secondary absorbent material of the platform 114 may havesubstantially the same size, e.g., may have substantially the samediameter, as the absorbent disk 116. In still other examples, thesecondary absorbent material of the platform 114 may be smaller than,e.g., have a diameter less than, the absorbent disk 116. For example, adiameter of the secondary absorbent material may be approximately thesame as the diameter of the passage 106 but may be less than thediameter of the absorbent disk 116. Further, in some examples, thesecondary absorbent material may have a different shape than theabsorbent disk 116.

In the illustrated embodiment, the platform 114 is mounted in areleasable cartridge 1802 (FIG. 18) having a front outwardly facing end1852 coupled to two opposing tracks 1850 which are slidably mounted inthe internal cavity 112 of body 102. The tracks 1850 form an oval-shapedaperture 1806 in a bottom side of the releasable cartridge 1802. Inparticular, when viewed from top surface 1620, the two opposing ends ofaperture 1806 have half-circle shapes which open into the center of theaperture 1806 (as shown in FIG. 18). The platform 114 may be mounted inthe inner half-circle shaped end of aperture 1806. For example, adiameter of the inner half-circle shaped end of aperture 1806 may beapproximately the same as the diameter of the platform 114. Absorbentdisk mounting components 1402 are coupled to the tracks 1850 to hold theabsorbent disk 116 in place at the center of the top surface of platform114, e.g., a center of the absorbent disk 116 may be directly alignedwith a center of the platform 114. The mounting components 1402 mayinclude opposing tabs mounted on opposing tracks 1850 and extending overthe top surface of platform 114 to terminate at opposing concavearc-shaped ends which interface with opposing sides of the absorbentdisk 116 to hold the absorbent disk 116 in a fixed position on the topsurface of platform 114 via an interference fit.

The releasable cartridge 1802 is slidable between a first position,wherein the cartridge 1802 is inside internal cavity 112 and the frontend 1852 is substantially flush with the outer surface of side 1628, anda second position (shown in FIG. 18) wherein the releasable cartridge1802 extends outside of the interior cavity 112. In the first position,releasable cartridge 1802 positions the absorbent disk 116 mounted onplatform 114 directly below the outlet 110 (FIG. 20). The releasablecartridge 1802 may include a locking mechanism 1804, e.g., a tab or snapfeature, which interfaces with an internal component to hold thereleasable cartridge 1802 in the first position. In order to unlock thereleasable cartridge 1802, a user may insert a suitable tool into anaperture 1902 (shown in FIG. 19) positioned in a bottom surface 2030 ofbody 102 to move or unsnap the locking mechanism 1804 so that thereleasable cartridge 1802 is free to be slid out of the interior cavity112 into the second position. For example, a laboratory technician mayunlock the releasable cartridge 1802 via aperture 1902 in order toremove releasable cartridge 1802 from DBS collection device 100 to gainaccess to the absorbent disk 116 for processing. In some examples, atraction element 2195, e.g., an indentation or the like, may be includedon a bottom portion of releasable cartridge 1802 to assist a user ingripping the cartridge 1802 to remove the cartridge 1802. In someexamples, the releasable cartridge 1802 may include indicia, e.g.,markings, labels, bar codes, etc. which may be inspected or scanned by alaboratory technician.

In the example shown in FIGS. 16-21, while the releasable cartridge 1802is locked in the first position within interior cavity 112, the platform114 remains in a fixed position whereas the passage 106 is moveablerelative to body 102 via actuation of manually actuatable component 602.The manually actuatable component 602 includes opposing internal braces2022 (FIG. 20) extending from opposing sides of the funnel in theinterior cavity 112 that interface with spring components 2024. Forexample, spring components 2024 may include cantilever springs mountedto a bottom interior surface of body 102, e.g., the spring components2024 may be formed with a pass core when the bottom interior surface ismolded. The spring components 2024 exert an upward force to the opposinginternal braces 2022 so that, in the absence of actuation or forceapplied to manually actuatable component 602, the manually-actuatablecomponent 602 is maintained in a lifted position wherein the outlet 110does not physically touch the absorbent disk 116.

For example, when a lanced finger is placed onto manually actuatablecomponent 602 above passage 106 and used to apply a downward force tothe manually actuatable component 602 in a direction toward platform 114along the central axis of the passage 106, the passage 106 is moveddownward toward platform 114 until the outlet 110 is in physical contactwith absorbent disk 116 mounted on platform 114. In this position, theinlet 104 may provide initial capillary action to help draw the blood tothe absorbent disk 116 while the outlet 110 is in contact with theabsorbent disk 116. Once a blood sample has been transferred to theabsorbent disk 116, the lanced finger may be released from the manuallyactuatable component 602 thereby separating the absorbent disk 116 andthe outlet 110.

The DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 16-21 additionally includesa window 702 (FIG. 19) which, in this example, is positioned in thebottom surface 2030 of body 102 directly below the disk-shaped platform114, thereby allowing a user to visually inspect a bottom surface ofplatform 114. In some embodiments, the platform 114 may be transparentto allow a visual inspection of blood absorbed by the platform 114. Thewindow 702 may be composed of a substantially transparent plasticmaterial which is inserted into a cutout in the bottom surface 2030 ofbody 102. The DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 16-21additionally includes a desiccant pad 412 mounted to an interior wall ininterior cavity 112 via one or more mounting components 2197 (FIG. 21)to assist in drying blood transferred to the absorbent disk 116 and tomaintain a reduced humidity level inside the DBS collection device 100.As discussed above, desiccant pad 412 may include any suitablehygroscopic substance that induces or sustains a state of dryness.

DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS. 16-21 includes a lancet system418 (FIG. 21). Lancet system 418 includes a lancet 420 having a needle422 extending from a body of the lancet 420, a lancet actuationcomponent 426, a lancet depth adjustment component 424, and a lancetport 462 formed as an opening in an outer wall of body 102. Lancet 420is slidably mounted in the interior cavity 112 of body 102 and incommunication with the lancet actuation component 426 such that when thelancet actuation component 426 is actuated, a portion of the needle 422is projected out through the lancet port 462. In this non-limitingexample, the lancet system 418 includes a biasing spring 458 positionedbetween a base portion of lancet 420 and a base component 456 affixedwithin the interior cavity 112 of body 102.

The lancet 420 is held in a trigger-ready position within the interiorcavity 112 by a latch 454 (FIG. 21) coupled to the lancet actuationcomponent 426. Latch 454 interfaces with a tab 2110 extending from abottom portion of the lancet 420. In the trigger-ready position, thebiasing spring 458 is compressed between the lancet 420 and the basecomponent 456 to confer a potential energy to the spring which may bereleased in response to disengagement of the latch 454 with tab 2110.Actuation of the lancet actuation component 426 may release the latch454 from tab 2110, thereby permitting the biasing spring 458 to propelthe lancet 420 so that the needle 422 of the lancet 420 protrudes out ofthe lancet port 462 by a predetermined distance.

In this non-limiting example, the lancet actuation component 426includes a button 2112 having a first extension 2114 and a secondextension 2116 extending therefrom into the interior cavity 112 of thebody 102. The first extension 2114 and the second extension 2116 areparallel and slidably mounted within opposing tracks 2118. A distal endof the first extension 2114 includes latch 454 which interfaces with tab2110 on lancet 420 to hold the lancet 420 in a trigger-ready position. Adistal end of the second extension 2116 includes a tab 2220perpendicular to the second extension 2116. Tab 2220 is positionedbetween an end 2222 of one of the tracks 2118 in the interior cavity 112and a blocking component 2221 mounted in the interior cavity. When thelancet 420 is in the trigger-ready position with the latch 454 engagingthe tab 2110, the tab 2220 may physically touch end 2222 so that the tab2220 cannot move in an outward direction from the internal cavity 112beyond end 2222. When actuated, the tab 2220 may move toward blockingcomponent 2221 and blocking component 2221 may prevent movement of thetab 2220 beyond the blocking component 2221, thereby limiting a range ofmovement of the lancet actuation component 426.

The lancet 420 is slidably mounted within two opposing tracks 470mounted on an inner wall of the body 102 in the interior cavity 112 suchthat the lancet 420 is moveable within the interior cavity 112 between afirst position where the needle 422 is fully contained within theinterior cavity 112 and a second position where a length of the needle422 extends outside of the lancet port 462. The length of the portion ofthe needle 422 projected out of the lancet port 462 may be adjusted viaa manual adjustment of the lancet depth adjustment component 424. Inthis non-limiting example, the lancet depth adjustment component 424includes a slider positioned on side 1622 of body 102. The slider iscoupled to a blocking element 450 (FIG. 21) through an elongatedaperture 1211 in the side 1622. The blocking element 450 may besupported by a track 2196 which is parallel to a bottom surface ofblocking element 450. For example, a user may apply a lateral force tothe slider to move a portion of the blocking element 450 into a path ofthe top surface 480 of lancet 420 in order to decrease a depth ofpenetration of the needle 422.

In the non-limiting example DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS.16-21, the lancet depth adjustment component 424 additionally includes atab 814 (FIG. 16) coupled to a side 1691 of the lancet depth adjustmentcomponent 424 near the center of the lancet depth adjustment component424. The tab 814 may have edges extending toward indicia 440 included onthe top surface 1620. Indicia 440 may be included on an outer surface ofbody 102 at a position beneath the pointed end of tab 814. The indicia440 may include markings or labels which indicate a different lancetdepths corresponding to different positions of the lancet depthadjustment component 424.

In the non-limiting example DBS collection device 100 shown in FIGS.16-21, the lancet system 418 is a single-use lancet system, such that,after an initial actuation of the lancet 420 which causes the needle 422to protrude out of the lancet port 462, the needle 422 automaticallyretracts back into the interior cavity 112 and stays in the interiorcavity 112 during subsequent lancet actuation attempts following theinitial actuation. In this example, the lancet system 418 includes acounter-biasing spring 460 (FIG. 21) which interfaces with the lancet420 to retract the needle 422 after actuation of the lancet 420. Forexample, a first end of the counter-biasing spring 460 may be in contactwith top surface 180 of lancet 420 and a second end of thecounter-biasing spring 460, opposite the first end, may be in contactwith an inner surface of body 102 adjacent to the lancet port 462 andmay be held in position by a blocking element 2130 coupled to the innersurface adjacent to the lancet port 462. The counter-biasing spring 460may supply a counter-biasing force to the lancet 420 in a directionalong a central axis of the needle 422 away from the lancet port 462.The counter-biasing force provided by the counter-biasing spring 460 maybe less than the biasing force provided by the biasing spring 458. Forexample, the spring constant of the counter-biasing spring 460 relativeto the spring constant of the biasing spring 458 may be such that whenthe counter-biasing spring 460 and the biasing spring 458 are inequilibrium, the lancet 420 is at a position in the interior cavity 112where the needle 422 of the lancet 420 does not protrude out of thelancet port 462.

In the example shown in FIGS. 16-21, the lancet actuation component 426includes a breakable component 452 (FIG. 21) which breaks or degradesfollowing an initial actuation of the lancet 420 so that the lancetactuation component 426 is no longer functional following the initialactuation. In this example, the breakable component 452 is coupledperpendicularly between the first extension 2114 and the secondextension 2116 in the internal cavity 112. A width of the breakablecomponent 452 tapers from the first and second extensions to a minimumwidth at the center 2180 of the breakable component 452 thereby formingan hour-glass shape. A spike 2182 is mounted within the interior cavity112 between the first extension 2114 and the second extension 2116 andbeneath the thin center 2180 of the breakable component 452. In thisexample, spike 2182 has a pointed end 2119 which is positioned directlybeneath the thin center 2180 of the breakable component 452 when thelancet 420 is in the trigger-ready position with the latch 454 engagedwith the tab 2110. In order to actuate the lancet 420, the user mayapply an inward force to button 2112 to cause the first and secondextensions 2114 and 2116 to move toward the lancet port 462 in adirection parallel to a central axis of the needle 422. This movementmay cause the thin center 2180 of the breakable component 452 to breakas it is pushed into the pointed end 2119 of spike 2182. In particular,when the breakable component 452 breaks, the lancet 420 cannot retractto a spring-loaded configuration; even if the lancet 420 were able toreturn to its original position, no component would retain it in place.During initial actuation, the inward force applied to the lancetactuation component 426 when a user presses the button 2112 would causethe latch 454 to be forced against a sloping component 2190 away fromtab 2110 so that the latch disengages the tab 2110, thereby permittingthe compressed spring 458 to launch the lancet 420 toward the lancetport 462 so that the needle 422 protrudes a predetermined distanceoutside of the lancet port 462. The counter-biasing spring 460 may thenexert a counter force to retract the lancet 420 back into the interiorcavity 112 so that the needle 422 is again fully contained in theinterior cavity 112.

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of another example DBS collectiondevice 100. The example DBS collection device 100 shown in FIG. 22 issimilar to the example device shown in FIGS. 16-21 and described above,except that the passage 106 includes a screened orifice 2202. Thescreened orifice 2202 may include any suitable material, e.g., plasticstainless steel, etc., and may be formed in any suitable way. Forexample, the screen of the screened orifice 2202 may be a woven mesh ora photo-etched blank that can be stamped at predetermined dimensions.Screened orifice 2202 may include a plurality of passages, where eachpassage in the plurality of passages includes an inlet opening to anexterior of body 102 and an outlet opening into the interior cavity 112of the body 102. As in the example device shown in FIGS. 16-21, in theexample of FIG. 22, the screened orifice 2202 is maintained disconnectedfrom the absorbent disk 116 until a downward force is applied to themanually actuatable component 602. Such an approach may provide anincreased surface wicking area and allow for more room for error inplacement of a lanced finger at the inlet while maintaining no skincontact with the absorbent disk 116 during sample transfer to the disk.

FIG. 23 illustrates another example of a dried blood spot collectiondevice, in accordance with various embodiments. The DBS collectiondevice 100 shown in FIG. 23 includes a manually actuatable component 502that includes or is coupled to the platform 114 such that the manuallyactuatable component 502 causes the platform 114 to move toward theoutlet 110 until the absorbent disk 116 on the platform 114 is inphysical contact with the outlet 110. In this example, the manuallyactuatable component further includes an extension 2302 that engages aswitch 2304 on a printed circuit assembly 2306. The printed circuitassembly 2306 may be populated such that triggering of the switch 2304by the extension 2302 captures the time and date at which the sample wastaken.

In the illustrated example, the DBS collection device 100 includes acompression spring 2308 that traverses the space between the platform114 and a stopper 2310 that surrounds the capillary tube 822. Thecompression spring 2308 returns the manually actuatable component 502 toits original position and disengages the outlet 110 from the absorbentdisk 116.

It is to be understood that the configurations and/or approachesdescribed herein are exemplary in nature, and that these specificembodiments or examples are not to be considered in a limiting sense,because numerous variations are possible. The specific routines ormethods described herein may represent one or more of any number ofprocessing strategies. As such, various acts illustrated may beperformed in the sequence illustrated, in other sequences, in parallel,or in some cases omitted. Likewise, the order of the above-describedprocesses may be changed.

The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel andnonobvious combinations and subcombinations of the various processes,systems and configurations, and other features, functions, acts, and/orproperties disclosed herein, as well as any and all equivalents thereof.For example, embodiments of manually actuable components in which aplatform moves toward an outlet of a passage may be combined withembodiments in which a passage moves toward a platform such that bothmechanisms are included in a single device.

1. A dried blood spot collection device, comprising: a body defining aninlet of a passage extending from an exterior of the body to an outletin an interior cavity of the body; a platform coupled to the body withinthe interior cavity, the platform holding an absorbent disk in a fixedposition on a region of the platform, wherein a central axis of thepassage is normal to the platform and intersects the center of theregion of the platform; a manually actuatable component mounted in thebody, the manually actuatable component adjustable between a firstposition and a second position relative to the body, wherein: in thefirst position, when an absorbent disk is mounted in the fixed positionon the platform, the outlet is not in physical contact with theabsorbent disk, and in the second position, when an absorbent disk ismounted in the fixed position on the platform, the outlet is in physicalcontact with the absorbent disk.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein theabsorbent disk comprises a filter paper disk having a diameter ofapproximately 3 millimeters.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein theabsorbent disk comprises a filter paper disk having a diameter ofapproximately 6 millimeters.
 4. The device of any of claim 1, whereinthe manually actuatable component is spring-biased to remain in thefirst position when the manually actuatable component is not actuated.5. The device of claim 1, wherein the passage comprises a capillarypassage.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the passage comprises ascreened orifice.
 7. The device of claim 1, further comprising adesiccant mounted in the interior cavity of the body.
 8. The device ofclaim 1, further comprising a lancet system included in the body.
 9. Thedevice of claim 8, wherein the lancet system is a single-use lancetsystem.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the single-use lancet systemcomprises a lancet having a needle extending from a body of the lancet,a lancet actuation component, a lancet depth adjustment component, and alancet port formed as an opening in an outer wall of the body, whereinthe lancet is slidably mounted in the interior cavity of the body and isin communication with the lancet actuation component.
 11. The device ofclaim 10, wherein the lancet is slidably mounted within tracks mountedwithin the interior cavity such that the lancet is moveable within theinterior cavity between a first position where the lancet needle isfully contained within the interior cavity and a second position where aportion of the needle extends outside of the lancet port by apredetermined distance.
 12. The device of claim 10, wherein the lancetdepth adjustment component is coupled to one or more blocking elementsin the interior cavity, the one or more blocking elements configured tointerface with a portion of the lancet to control the length of theportion of the needle which protrudes out of the lancet port followingan actuation of the lancet.
 13. The device of claim 10, wherein thelancet actuation component includes a breakable component configured tobreak after an initial actuation of the lancet so that the lancetactuation component is no longer operable to actuate the lancetfollowing the initial actuation.
 14. The device of claim 10, furthercomprising a biasing spring positioned between a base component affixedwithin the interior cavity of body and a base portion of the lancet tosupply a biasing force to the lancet in a direction along a central axisof the needle of the lancet and towards the lancet port.
 15. The deviceof claim 14, further comprising a latch coupled to the lancet actuationcomponent, the latch configured to couple with a portion of the lancetto hold the lancet in a trigger-ready position, wherein, in thetrigger-ready position, the biasing spring is compressed between thelancet and the base component and wherein an actuation of the lancetactuation component releases the latch from the lancet.
 16. The deviceof claim 14, further comprising a counter-biasing spring positionedbetween a top portion of the lancet and an inner wall of the body tosupply a counter-biasing force to the lancet in a direction along acentral axis of the needle of the lancet and away from the lancet port.17. The device of claim 16, wherein a spring constant of thecounter-biasing spring is less than a spring constant of the biasingspring.
 18. The device of claim 16, wherein a spring constant of thecounter-biasing spring relative to a spring constant of the biasingspring is such that when the counter-biasing spring and the biasingspring are in equilibrium, the lancet is at a position in the internalcavity in which the needle of the lancet does not protrude out of thelancet port.
 19. The device of claim 1, wherein the manually actuatablecomponent is coupled to the platform such that actuation of the manuallyactuatable component causes the platform to move toward the outlet in adirection along the central axis of the passage.
 20. The device of claim1, wherein the manually actuatable component comprises a region of thebody adjacent to and including the passage such that actuation of themanually actuatable component causes the passage to move toward theplatform.